Green Space: Gardening by the book

What better gift than a book you’ll use all season? Consult Jim’s annual review of gardening bibles worth receiving.

Jim Hillibish

Gardening books are like cookbooks. They tend to pile up on the coffee table.

Many are boutique books of fantastic photos. They offer a world of perfect plants and not one insect hole. Forget that. This year, give worthwhile gardening books that will be consulted and dog-eared all season and beyond. Indeed, some of these books are advocating not a hobby but a lifestyle.

Here are my top 10 useful gardening books, each one an excellent reference for soil scratchers:

2. “The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible,” by Edward C. Smith. You can summarize Ed’s philosophy as WORD (wide rows, organic methods, raised beds and deep soil). Be sure to get the 10th Edition for the latest of the best. (Storey Publishing, 2009, $24.95)

3. “Trowel and Error,” by Sharon Lovejoy, about 700 tips to reduce work and increase production, many which bend traditional rules. “Dig your fingernails into a soap cake before gardening. When you wash your hands, your nails will be clean.” It’s a miracle. (Workman Publishing, 2002, $13.95)

4. “The New York Times 1,000 Gardening Questions and Answers,” excerpts from the paper’s “Garden Q and A” columns, 700 pages worth. If it’s not in here, it’s not worth trying. (Workman Publishing, 2002, $19.95).

5. “Burpee: The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener,” the definitive encyclopedia on vegetable growing from the ground up, by the seed folks. (Wiley, 1997, $39.95)

6. “The Joy of Gardening,” by Dick Raymond. Forty years of gardening experience packed into 384 pages, all practical even for old hands. (Storey Publishing, 1983, $24.95).

7. “Gardening for a Lifetime,” by Sydney Eddison, counters the notion that the older you get, the less you need to garden. Her volume removes much of the burden of creating a back-yard sanctuary. (Timber Press, 2010, $19.95)

9. “The Complete Compost Gardening Guide,” by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah Martin, principles for composting plants with free materials, and it need not become a cult. (Storey Publishing, 2008, $19.95)

10. “Easy Container Gardens,” by Pamela Crawford, the book that started today’s trend. Her foolproof methods are guaranteed to grow satisfaction right there on your patio or deck. (Color Garden Publishing, 2008, $19.95)

Note: Prices are publishers’ list. These books often are available at substantial discount online or in stores. Look for return privileges in case your recipient already has it.

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